Garden State Friday Notes
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With a big weekend of showdown games and showcase matchups looming, Friday was an opportunity for some teams to score a tune up while others kicked off their big weekends with wins. At the highest level of the NJ scene,…
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Continue ReadingWith a big weekend of showdown games and showcase matchups looming, Friday was an opportunity for some teams to score a tune up while others kicked off their big weekends with wins.
At the highest level of the NJ scene, Camden High defeated Kenwood High from Illinois behind 24 points from Kentucky commit DJ Wagner. Camden sits at #1 in the state and remains one of the top teams in the entire country– Aaron Bradshaw Aaron Bradshaw 7'0" | PF Camden | 2023 State #10 Nation NJ has also had an elite year and is Kentucky bound–He may have the highest ceiling of any player in New Jersey at the moment.
A very balanced attack saw Saint Thomas Aquinas dominate Miami Northwestern(FL). With 5 players in double digits, it was Jaden Kelly Jaden Kelly 6'4" | SG Roselle Catholic | 2024 State NJ leading the way with 17. Guards Kamal Lee Kamal Lee 6'0" | PG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2023 State NJ , Terrell Pitts Terrell Pitts 6'4" | SG St. Thomas Aquinas | 2023 State NJ and Deuce Jones Deuce Jones 6'1" | PG College Achieve | 2024 State #221 Nation NJ all were in double digits, as was 6’4″ junior wing Samir Thomas Samir Thomas 6'3" | CG Patrick School | 2024 State NJ , who will be a key piece of the Trojans puzzle next year.
Down the Shore, Raritan moved to 13-0 with a 45-39 win over Matawan. Jack Coleman and Billy Tigar each scored 13 for the Rockets and senior backcourt leader Jack O’Leary Jack O’Leary 6'1" | CG Raritan | 2023 State NJ scored 10 to send Raritan into a Saturday matchup with Shore Regional, who just picked up their first loss at the hands of Mon Don the other day. It will be a good test for both teams on Saturday afternoon. Colin Haluska Colin Haluska 6'3" | SF Matawan | 2023 State NJ , a 6’3″ wing committed to Muhlenberg, added 11 in the loss for Matawan.
Cinnaminson also remained undefeated with a 67-64 nailbiter over Burlington City. Sophomore guard Drew Harvey continued his torrid scoring pace by hitting for 24 in the victory. They’ll take on 11-2 Pemberton on Monday as they continue their quest to be one of the final undefeated teams in New Jersey.
Speaking of unbeatens, Trenton breezed by West Windsor South as they get set to take on a Newark East Side team that is trying to punch its way out of the corner and back into the mix in Essex County as the season turns towards its final half. 5’7″ junior guard Kabrien Goss Kabrien Goss 5'7" | CG Roman Catholic | 2024 PA had 26 in the Tornadoes win. A noon trip to East Side could be, in soccer terminology, the “Sticky Wicket” for Trenton–It’s less than 24 hours after a game, it’s a trip to Ironbound and its a frustrated Raiders team…Could it be the recipe for disaster or another statement win?
South River continued its dominance as the Rams improved to 13-1 with a dominating 73-51 win over Spotswood. 6’5″ seniors Roman Santos Roman Santos 6'5" | SF South River | 2023 State NJ and Lazaro Rodriguez Lazaro Rodriguez 6'4" | SF South River | 2023 State NJ combined for 35 in the contest. Sophomore guard Alex Grospe Alex Grospe 5'10" | PG South River | 2025 State NJ paced the Rams backcourt with 15 points and 10 assists. He’ll be a player to watch the next two years and he will be the go to guy for South River as this senior class graduated.
Yesterday we mentioned 6’3″ Manalapan junior Anthony Leger Anthony Leger 6'4" | SG Manalapan | 2024 State NJ as a player to watch. Well, the wing who came back to Manalapan after the abrupt shuttering of Mater Dei has shown the full range of his skillset and did so on Friday by leading the Braves to a 58-56 rivalry game win over Marlboro. Leger hit for 29 points and went 1114 on the free throw line. He’s going to be a college prospect to watch as he can score in multiple spots and also put the ball on the floor.